1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a heat treatment apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for heat treating of synthetic resin, fish, meat or the like by pressing the same onto an outside surface of an inside-cooled or heated rotating-drum to form the sheet-like material, which is, in turn, sliced or cut to obtain the chip-like material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A rotating-drum heat treatment apparatus is known in the art for use in a cooling system of a pulverizer in the manufacture of thermoplastic synthetic resin, thermosetting synthetic resin or the like. FIG. 2 shows an example of the rotating-drum heat treatment apparatus. The apparatus shown in FIG. 2 includes a rotating cylindrical drum 1, a heating or cooling device 2 for the drum 1, a feeder 3 for a material 4 to be treated onto an outside surface of the inside-cooled or heated rotating-drum 1, and an endless belt 5 continuously moving along an outer periphery of the drum 1, while contacting the feed material 4 onto the surface of the drum, for conveyance of the heat treated material 4 to the next station.
In the conventional rotating-drum heat treatment apparatus described above the heat treatment of the material 4 by the inside-cooled or heated drum 1 chiefly depends upon the rotating speed of the drum 1. Accordingly, if the material 4 is subjected to the heat treatment at a higher or lower temperature, the drum 1 must be rotated at a low speed, which results in a decrease in the throughput capacity of the apparatus. This disadvantage could be eliminated if a large drum is used. However, it is not practical to prepare the large drum in view of the manufacturing and the installation problems. Furthermore, a significant increase in the throughput capacity cannot be expected if a large drum is used, because the heat treatment time can be prolonged.